As a professional designer since 1976, and a creative director and art consultant for 25 years I have come to realize that many people do indeed, in good faith, ignore what is a designer and how to work with him.

Apart from companies and corporations who deal with different kinds of design needs, the average person tends to confuse the role and potential of the designer to that of a draftsman, i.e. : someone who will draw what he, the customer, will tell him to do.
 
That is not what a designer does. In fact this is the worst mistake a potential customer can do, because most of the time he is not generally aware or acquainted with the specific language of design, its rules, the subtle harmony that is required in each design, be it graphic design, or exhibition design, fashion, coins and stamps, furniture and so forth.

Moreover he, the customer, may not only overlook many details but it is not trained in the creative process of viewing with the mind.

Then what good is hiring a designer for? A designer is someone who is trained to respond to your aspirations for something that you expect to be as unique as possible, yet cannot express it graphically. You, as the customer, should say in general terms what is it that you want from a sword. My most sucessful designs were when customers told me they wanted something unique, in wood and metal. Please create something. That does not happen often but it is when the creativity can be fully unleashed.

SOME HINTS
1. Before you approach me, gather and organize your main wishes. Don't start changing your opinions and options after the work has started. You will be wasting valuable time and effort.
2. Make sure you communicate very clearly and that you have made up your mind on your preferences.
3. Allow me space for creativity. This is how all the swords that are shown here came to be what they are. After all, if you are paying for my work, not matter how symbolically, you are not ordering a sword from a blade smith and then telling him how you wish him to normalize the steel, temper it, polish it or do the quench in water if he does it in oil. You'll most probably be met with a why don't you do it yourself reply. All you do is acknowledge your preference for his work by commissioning him, give him the type of blade you want, the general specifications and let him do it the best he can and knows. That is the secret for having great blades. The same applies to sword design. Either you trust my ability and believe in all the work you have seen, or you would not be ordering from me.
4. Don't ask me to repeat things I myself have done, or to copy something you like but may not be technically feasible. I try my very best to respect each customer's work. When I protect the uniqueness of the sword of a former customer, I am also protecting your forthcoming design.
5. Remember that wherever you look at you are surrounded by design, and when you work with me you can be assured that I have a reputation of my own, at my own eyes, that I will protect. That means that I will not do something that I dislike, and up to now, all my designs were very well received. On the other hand, see this as my guarantee. I will not design something that I don't like.

If you understand these basic rules you are in for the best I can deliver according to your general wishes.